


Colors of the World

by Freedoms_Champion



Series: Bakoda Adventures [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Dorks in Love, Flowers, Love Confessions, M/M, Romantic Fluff, the South Pole is not colorful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28928286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedoms_Champion/pseuds/Freedoms_Champion
Summary: Hakoda has something to show Bato.
Relationships: Bato/Hakoda (Avatar)
Series: Bakoda Adventures [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121288
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Colors of the World

“Aren’t you worried we might be too far north?” Bato asked, stepping onto the crest of the hill beside Hakoda. A cool wind ruffled their hair, but the sun was warm enough that they had both shed their parkas.

“It doesn’t matter, in the long run. The Fire Nation is everywhere. Wherever we go, there’s a fight to be had. Is the heat getting to you?”

“Why would it?” Bato replied, attempting a nonchalant tone. The truth was that seeing Hakoda without his parka was more distracting than he’d expected. He was a grown man, no longer a young warrior who could excuse that kind of thing.

Hakoda shot him a grin, but took his time rolling up his map rather than replying. Bato rolled his eyes and looked at the landscape instead. Long stems of grass waved in the wind, vibrantly green as spring slowly loosened winter’s grip. He wondered what this patch of lonely coastline would look like in summer. Bato had lived in the South Pole his entire life; the amount of color in the wider world continually amazed him.

“There’s a military port another day’s sailing up the coast. We’ll strike fast, break up any ships we can, and get out before they can mount much of a response. We’ll send tomorrow planning the attack in detail.”

“This cove should be sheltered enough to keep casual observers from seeing us,” Bato agreed, “but why not make the plans today?”

“Today, I’m doing something else,” Hakoda said firmly. “Come on, there’s something I want you to see.”

Bato followed Hakoda from the hilltop, centering himself for trouble. The last time Hakoda had said something similar, they had spent a fruitless day questioning a captured Fire Nation sailor. The time before that, the two of them had broken up an outpost too close to the camp without the other warriors any the wiser.

Rather than a prisoner glowering and tied to a tree or a clump of bushes near a hidden building, Bato followed Hakoda into a tiny hollow near the base of the hill. Tall shrubby trees ringed the edge, but Hakoda slipped between them without leaving a trace of himself. Bato did the same, with mounting confusion. No prisoner needed to be hidden so well and any military target so out of the way would be too dangerous for a pair of warriors to handle.

Clear of the trees, Bato stepped into a sheltered clearing. The grass gave way to moss on the edges of a clear, still pond. Patches of snow still lingered in the shadowed places, but flowers blossomed on the open ground.

“I don’t know what they are, but I saw them and knew you had to see it,” Hakoda said quietly. “We left home to go to war, but it isn’t dishonorable to remember what we’re fighting for. Our world is beautiful. Maybe we came here for terrible reasons, but I’m glad we did.”

He picked one of the flowers, gorgeously red shading to purple in the center, and reached up to tuck it behind Bato’s ear. Bato caught his hand before he could pull away and laced their fingers together.

“You’re absolutely right, Hakoda. Thank you. Before we left home, I had no idea there were so many colors in the world.”

Bato folded his legs and settled in the grass. Hakoda sprawled gracelessly on his back next to him. The silence that fell was comfortable and familiar, not even broken by the waves that had been their constant companion.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Hakoda said abruptly, with the air of a man who had made up his mind.

“Go ahead. There are no secrets between us.” Bato hid a flutter of nerves. Surely Hakoda hadn’t noticed how his wayward feelings were resurfacing.

“When I married Kya, I expected a long life with her. Even though there were threats to the tribe and the raids, I thought she’d be at my side. But then she was gone. I tried to make meaning in my life through the children. Then my duty to the tribe meant leaving them as well. Just duty isn’t enough to make life worthwhile.” Hakoda fell silent and stared at the sky, frowning as if turning words over in his mind. “I guess what I’m asking is if there might still be something between us. I’ve loved you since we were boys, Bato. I still love you. Is it selfish to ask that?’

“How could it be selfish?” Bato asked. His heart pounded in his throat, making it difficult to speak. “I’ve seen you give up everything for our people, for the warriors that follow you. Anytime someone must go short of food or sleep, you always arrange things so that it’s you. The most dangerous missions and positions, you take them on yourself so often I worry you won’t make it home. I know you loved Kya and she was my friend; I was happy for both of you. But I’ve loved you just as long, Hakoda. I never stopped.”

Hakoda raised himself on his elbows, eyes wide. A flush, difficult to make out under his tan, spread across his sharp cheekbones. Bato couldn’t help a fond smile. He’d seen that look before when they were just starting out as warriors, when he had said or done something Hakoda adored.

His mind was so clouded by memories that Hakoda caught him totally by surprise. One moment, Bato was sitting, the next Hakoda shoved him back into the grass, one arm under his neck to keep from knocking his head against the ground. Bato’s hand fell easily against Hakoda’s on his chest. Blue eyes met blue for a second, then Hakoda kissed him.

It was better than Bato remembered.

The leisurely kiss ended a minute or two later. Bato caught his breath and couldn’t resist laughing at the look on Hakoda’s face, a mix of euphoria and relief. He felt the same of course, but didn’t Hakoda know him better than to think his feelings had changed?

“I’m too old for puppy love,” Hakoda mused. Bato pushed himself up so that they were sitting together, rather than Hakoda leaning over him.

“I thought so too, but here we are. I should have expected it by now. Your crazy ideas always cause this kind of trouble.”

“My crazy ideas? You got us into just as much trouble back in the day.” Hakoda’s grin lifted years of worry from his face. Bato rested their foreheads together and bumped noses.

“True, I did catch the octopus you put on your head.”

Mingled laughter disturbed the peace of the hollow. A teasing breeze made the flowers nod and sway, glorious colors shimmering in the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! These dummies don't want to leave me alone, so there will probably be more.
> 
> Comments are welcome. Have a fantastic day!


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